Clothes I Wore This Week

On Monday I trotted over to Barnes for a quick celebratory lunch with my team at one of Rick Stein’s restaurants to mark the end of our maternity commissioner petition. It felt somewhat important to stop and acknowledge what we’ve managed to achieve, given that I’m often guilty of finishing one thing and immediately moving onto the next without ever allowing myself to enjoy the ‘win’.

It was approximately one million degrees in London so sitting by those huge windows overlooking the river was a moment to treasure. We gobbled the anchovies, a fab seafood curry and some sexy drinks. The place has a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere that somehow resembles being on holiday somewhere scenic in the Med (rather than plonked just south of the river in SW London).

Outfit wise I went very simple with an oversized striped shirt, white linen shorts and black ballet pumps. The shirt was particularly useful because there was enough room inside it for three courses. Possibly four. I always like to dress for the occasion which means loose clothes when I plan on dining out. It also comes in a gazillion colours so do indulge. I love Stradivarius for petite clothing.

I wore it several times this week. I only really buy things I love enough to wear again and again and again…

Tuesday was marginally less glamorous and involved being back at home with an iced coffee… which is much closer to my natural habitat. I’ve actually only just started drinking coffee again, although calling it coffee is generous because I have it SO weak it’s basically coffee-flavoured water. Baby steps. Here is the coffee machine I swear by.

I wore an oversized white shirt with the gingham embroidered trousers from my Nobody’s Child collection (Currently 15% off). I’ve worn these loads because they sit somewhere between pyjamas and actual clothes, which is essentially the sweet spot I’m looking for in life.

I really love the embroidery around the bottom because it makes them feel a bit more special than a normal gingham trouser, without requiring anything particularly clever on top. They’re also available in petite, which I know is important for lots of you because there is NOTHING more irritating than buying a lovely pair of trousers and discovering you also need to lose approximately half a metre from the bottom.

I added black ballet flats and that was basically it. I’m increasingly realising that my summer wardrobe formula is enormous shirt + interesting trouser + flat shoe. Revolutionary.

Here is me wearing the same outfit getting ready for two long days of camping shooting. Being comfortable is golden when spending lots of time being poked and prodded.

Wednesday I wore this beige cargo mini dress, which is one of those very useful pieces that makes you look like you’ve actually styled an outfit when in reality you have put on precisely one item of clothing.

This is the sort of thing I reach for when I want to look pulled together but absolutely cannot be bothered to coordinate separates. The big sleeves, collar and belt give it enough structure that it does all of the work itself. Hair back, flats on, finished.

Annoyingly, this exact dress is no longer in stock, which always seems to happen approximately five minutes before I decide I want to share something, so I’ve linked a similar version instead.

I wore it with little navy YSL pumps, which Sam and Zara bought me for my birthday four years ago, which I think stop it looking too safari. Although between the beige, pockets and belt I am probably one pair of binoculars away from offering guided tours. I love binoculars btw. I always take them away with me whenever I travel.

Wednesday night out for dinner with my family.

I love the two piece that tally is wearing. I actually own it too. Here’s a side by side.

By Thursday, I had apparently decided that if Monday’s oversized shirt had room for three courses, I should simply continue expanding.

I wore these enormous blush trousers with a white top and a very floaty white layer over the top. There is a LOT of fabric involved here and I’m very happy about it. I love clothes that move around you in summer and don’t require any sucking in, adjusting, pulling down or general bodily admin. I own these trousers in white too!

The little bit of black lace at the waist gives the whole thing some contrast because otherwise I think I was in danger of looking like a very large, slightly crumpled meringue. I added chunky black flip flops, sunglasses and a big bag.

I’ve noticed recently that I’m getting much better at knowing what I actually like, rather than what I think I’m supposed to like. That probably applies to far more than getting dressed. There’s something quite liberating about getting older and realising you don’t need to constantly reinvent yourself or keep up with every new thing. I’m increasingly happy sticking with what makes me feel good and leaving the rest to everyone else.

It’s taken me long enough to get there.

On Friday I had my hair dyed blonder than blonde and shortly after we quickly escaped London because I had planned a surprise trip to Wilderness Reserve in Suffolk for Ryan’s birthday.

I LOVE organising a surprise (hate receiving one) but I’m also absolutely terrible at the period immediately before the surprise because I become convinced that I’m behaving suspiciously. I don’t know why. Suddenly every normal question feels like an interrogation and I’m giving unnecessarily elaborate answers about where we’re going and what we’re doing.

Thankfully we made it there with the surprise intact.

Wilderness is v beautiful and it felt very nice to swap London for fields, sheep and a lot of sky. I wore an all-white outfit which, looking at these photos, was either very aesthetically appropriate or an incredibly impractical decision for wandering around the countryside.

I love this little white top. It has that slightly romantic, old-fashioned feel with the shirring and detailing, but paired with white denim shorts and huge sunglasses it doesn’t feel too twee. Although standing in a field surrounded by sheep probably tipped it back in that direction.

It was such a nice start to Ryan’s birthday trip and also a reminder that sometimes you really don’t need to travel very far to feel like you’ve properly gone away. I’m trying to get better at actually switching off when we do things like this rather than taking my entire mental to-do list with me.

Work in progress.

A final note (I promise) and another work in progress was feeling confident enough to wear a swimsuit that strayed away from my safe place which is a hunza g. I have a stoma bag so this felt braver but ultimately it was a fabulous look and I felt like Ursula Andress with the belt. Chicer than chic. It’s only £25 and you can shop it here or by clicking below.

Here’s your reminder to be daring and wear the swimwear…

Any questions pop below. Luv ya. L x

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